1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to environmental apparatus for chemical solutions and, more particularly, to those apparatus adapted to maintain solutions in a constantly agitated state.
2. Prior Art
The present invention is specifically adapted to maintain the effectiveness of chemical solutions which require a predetermined environmental state while maintaining the solution in a constant state of agitation. In particular, the present invention is adapted for use with blood platelet concentrate which must be maintained under precise environmental conditions in order to preserve its effectiveness. As an example, blood platelet concentrate used for blood transfusions specifically require that it be stored at a temperature of between 20.degree.-24.degree. C and that the concentrate be maintained under constant agitation. The basis for these requirements arises out of the nature of the platelet concentrate. The constituant elements must be maintained in a state of agitation in order to prevent any solid elements of the concentrate from congealing or adhering to the walls of the container. At the present time, the devices and procedures disclosed by the prior art limit the shelf life of platelet concentrate to approximately seven days.
The devices and procedures utilized to preserve solutions such as blood platelet concentrate are crude and are not adapted to the specific problems inherent to such solutions. As an example, many hospitals or other depositories of platelet concentrate use periodic agitation by technicians as an attempt to comply with the environmental requirements which are necessary to maintain the effectiveness of the solution. A number of conventional agitation units are also utilized for solutions such as platelet concentrate, but these have inherent inadequacies which clearly limit the shelf life of the valuable comodity.
A mechanical device which is typically used for agitation of blood platelet concentrate provides for periodic vertical agitation of the platelet packets. This element alone creates a basic problem with this type of device. Platelet concentrate is typically stored in substantially flat vinyl packets. Since platelet concentrate will tend to adhere to the interior surface of the packaging unless constant agitation is maintained, vertical movement of the packets alone will not maintain sufficient agitation to fully prevent the blood platelet concentrate from congealing or otherwise spoiling.
The present invention substantially resolves a great number of problems which are inherent to the procedures and devices which are currently utilized. Blood platelet packets are maintained in a container which utilizes a series of parallel cells which are maintained at an oblique angle with respect to a horizontal plane. Each container is insertable within a rotatable cylinder which will rotate the packets about an axis which is parallel to a horizontal plane. Since the packets are maintained at an oblique angle with respect to a horizontal plane, the constant rotation of the packets will create a movement profile of the platelet concentrate in a three dimensional configuration. In addition, the ease of maintaining constant agitation at a temperature which is critical to the state of the concentrate produces a device which substantially exceeds all procedures and apparatus which are disclosed by the prior art.